


You're A Dream To Me

by unburnttkhaleesi



Category: The Haunting of Bly Manor (TV)
Genre: F/F, mention of domestic abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-15
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:02:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27018511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unburnttkhaleesi/pseuds/unburnttkhaleesi
Summary: Modern day Teacher AUJamie couldn’t stand the children in Miss. Jessel’s fourth year class. They were noisy, disrespectful and had the audacity to pull up some of her plants in the green house, it’s why they hadn’t had the pleasure to enter the gardens for a month. However today she lifted that ban after what she heard from the culinary active’s teacher, Owen, Miss. Jessel had left, wanted to pursue a career elsewhere and a new teacher, an American took over her spot. Apparently, the woman was sweet and always on a caffeine high but was strict and was able to quickly whip the kids into shape.
Relationships: Dani Clayton/Jamie
Comments: 14
Kudos: 555





	You're A Dream To Me

**Author's Note:**

> TW of domestic abuse.  
> So first fic in about, two years give or take. So Bly Manor left me a hot mess, it's been five days and it's all I can think about. So because of that, we have this. Also I had to make up a last name for jamie, even though we all know that her last name is clayton by the end. I hope you all enjoy!

Jamie couldn’t stand the children in Miss. Jessel’s fourth year class. They were noisy, disrespectful and had the audacity to pull up some of her plants in the green house, it’s why they hadn’t had the pleasure to enter the gardens for a month. However today she lifted that ban after what she heard from the culinary active’s teacher, Owen, Miss. Jessel had left, wanted to pursue a career elsewhere and a new teacher, an American took over her spot. Apparently, the woman was sweet and always on a caffeine high but was strict and was able to quickly whip the kids into shape.

She sees it for herself, the tall blonde woman leading a perfect straight line of children. She almost looked like a mother duck, babies trailing along behind her and what she hears when they reach the front gate makes her pop a grin. “Hocus pocus-”

“-Everyone focus” The children called back in a perfect chorus.

She smiles brightly and oh boy it’s contagious.

“Remember we are respectful in the gardens, we keep our hands to ourselves and to our sides, you follow the rules of the garden because what to we respect?” She askes

“The birds, the trees, the flowers and the bees!” The children answer back and the blonde claps her hands together. 

“Great,” She turns towards Jamie, an ever-present smile. “Miss. Clayton’s fourth grade- I mean year. is ready to pick their pumpkin.”

Jamie blinks because there is no way this woman is real, just a month ago these children were gremlins, but now, she swore that the devil horns were replaced by halos. “Alright.” She nods. “Right this way.” She notes that the children are well behaved, way more than she is used to. They raise their hand to ask questions, the plants freed from their sticky fingers and they listen. Miss. Clayton talks to the class as they walk through the green house and towards the pumpkin patch, Flora Wingrave’s hand nestled in hers. “So, how will all 20 of you decide on the best pumpkin to carve up?”

“Well,” A blonde boy speaks up after Jamie points him out. “We decided as a class that the pumpkin must be perfect, no rotted spots. Miss. Clayton says the best ones are the large round ones if we want to carve a decent fact.”

Jamie pushes her lip out, nodding a bit before shrugging. “But how will you know it’s perfect?”

Flora’s hand shoots up in the air this time and she waits to be called on. “Miss. Clayton said that you would be the best judge of character, Miss. Greene. You are the plant expert after all.”

Miss. Clayton smiles sheepishly. “Yes, Miss. Greene our Pumpkin’s fate is in your hands.”

So, Jamie leads the gaggle of children down a few rows of orange gourds. She of course tells the children when it is best to plant the seeds, how long it takes them to grow and again, she is impressed that they are listening. Jamie gives an ‘Ah-ha’ when she comes across the perfect pumpkin and pulls it from the vine, holding it out to Miss. Clayton. 

“There you are the perfect pumpkin, in my professional opinion.” 

Miss. Clayton takes it and looks it over. It’s perfectly round, a bit of a flat side where it would be perfect to crave the face and smooth. “Well, looks like we have our pumpkin. Now,” She turns back to Jamie. “I believe these kiddos have some work to do for you, as an apology for some disrespectful behavior. They offered to water and weed the plants for you if you would let them.”

Of course, Jamie agrees, honestly the less she must do, the better. So, the children get their jobs and get to it, fetching water from the pump and putting on gloves to tend to the field. After giving instruction, Jamie steps back, next to the new teacher. “Color me impressed.” She remarks. “I thought we’d have to bring in Nanny McPhee for these little monsters.” She smirks when the other woman laughs. “I’m Jamie, by the way.”

The other woman shifts the pumpkin to her other arm, reaching her hand out. “I’m Dani,” She lets out a nervous laugh. “I’m so sorry for what the kids did to your garden. I was so confused when I saw Hannah’s class go down to the gardens, I mean my classroom windows face it, so I see it all the time. Then I asked the kids why we were banned, and they seemed embarrassed when Flora spilled the beans. I-I hope I didn’t cross a line when I gave them jobs.”

Jamie chuckles with crossed arms, looking the new teacher up and down. “It’s no problem, really. A bit of hard labor never hurt anyone before.” She looks over at the children and smirks. “What they don’t know is that they are doing me a favor,” Jamie explains, and Dani raises a brow. She turned around and opened a metal box on the wall. “They are giving my sprinkler system a break today.”

Dani offers a small laugh and shrugs her shoulders. “Maybe we can keep that between us?” Dani asks. “I mean I do have a reputation to live up to.”

“Your secret is safe with me, Poppins.” Jamie hold up her pinky. “I swear.”

As they entwine fingers, a tradition that Dani hadn’t done since elementary school, she can’t ignore the spark she feels at the small bit of skin on skin contact she had with the other teacher. There is no denial of the instant attraction she felt towards the woman, but it was bold of her to assume that Miss. Greene was- well like her- something that she had been struggling with since puberty. “Hey, you know, you should stop by next Friday. That way, you can see the work of art that will be this pumpkin.”

Jamie tuts out her bottom lip and shifts her hips. “You mean when you hollow out the already work of art that I raised from a seed?” She wants to laugh when she see’s the other woman’s face fall and does, smirking when her lips turn back up into a hopeful smile. “Of course, I’d love to.”

Now Jamie does see her a few times before next Friday. Sometimes it’s in passing down the hall, with Dani’s students neatly lined up behind her and they exchange a smile with a passing glance. Most of the time it’s in the teachers lounge, all in passing of course. A pinky wave from a grasped mug as Dani walks by after Jamie offers her a wink which makes dear old Hannah ask. “What was that about.”

Jamie smiles as she goes to grab the kettle. “I honestly have no idea; I’m still trying to get a read on her.”

Hannah laughs. “Well, better get that figured out quick, Peter is already looking her up and down like she’s a piece of prime rib.”

“Ew,” Jamie gags. “Well,” She sighs as she sips on her tea. “He will get a rude awaking when he realizes that she doesn’t play for his team.”  
Hannah, clearly amused, scoffs. “And how do you know that?”

Jamie stops, spinning on her heel as she backs out the door. “Just a hunch, but who knows, I could be wrong. I have been wrong before after all.”

Turns out, Jamie’s hunch was true- maybe. Friday comes around and she makes her way up towards Dani’s classroom. When she gets up there, she stands in the doorway to observe getting a few glances from the kids, but truly Dani is in her element. She sits on top of her wooden desk, legs crossed as she reads aloud a spooky story to the kids. From what she could hear from her gardens only a bit earlier, it was the legend of sleepy hollow. The children where entranced as she read along, their eyes wide in wonder as she tales the harrowing tale of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman. “Some say that it was Brom Bones who scared the poor schoolmaster away in a fit of jealous rage. However, the old country wives believe that Ichabod was spirited away by the horseman. And those who pass the bridge on a warm summer evening often fancy they here the voice of the schoolmaster singing a melancholy tune amid the quiet breezes of Sleepy Hollow.”

As soon as she closes the books, several hands shoot up in the air while some children call out.

‘That did not happen here, did it?’  
‘What’s a Hessian Trooper?’  
‘Why would someone fear a pumpkin?’  
‘Miss. Clayton, is there more to the story?’

Dani laughs, extending her legs as she stretches herself out. “Guys, I know we talked about calling out. To answer your questions though, no, the story took place in New York State, a Hessian Trooper is a German soldier who aided the British during the revolutionary war. I don’t know, Tommy, but a flaming jack-o-lantern would scare the life out and me and I’m sorry, Flora, but that is all she wrote.” Her eyes seem to drift towards the door, catching Jamie’s grin. “Well, I think since you’ve all been so amazing today, you deserve some Halloween treats. One cupcake per costumer and Roger, go easy on the juice man, you know what punch does to you.”

As the children line up to grab their treats Jamie makes her way over to Dani. “So, traumatizing these little innocent children with a scary, American folk tale?” She clicks her tongue. “Didn’t know you had it in you, Poppins.”

“It’s not that scary.” Dani points out. “My dad would read this same book to me when I was a kid after we carved the jack-o-lantern. It was tradition and I wanted to share it with these guys. Oh!” She suddenly turns to her side and picks up her own jack-o-lantern. “What do you think, we decided to go traditional since these kids honestly can’t agree on everything.”

Jamie tilts her head, examining the pumpkin’s glowing eyes and cheery smile. “It’s cute, I mean traditional like you said, but cute. I like it.”

Dani puts the pumpkin back and shrugs. “Like I said, can’t agree on anything. We are working on it though, getting these kids into shape has been- a lot. I swear I only manage a quick dinner and a shower before I pass out.”

“True, these kids are a lot, but they’ve been through it. They loved Miss. Jessel, but she coddled them all and some of these guys took advantage of that.” Jamie explained. “I think her up and leaving without warning upset them, but they respect you so- it’ll take a while, but you’ll get there. You’re a good teacher.”

Dani tucks a strand of golden hair behind her ear, a hint of a blush on her cheeks. “Thank you.” She smiles and then looked over at her students wondering if this was appropriate to do in front of the children. She shakes her head at the thought, they are just talking after all. “What happened to Miss. Jessel by the way?”

Now Jamie doesn’t ignore the fact that she has the new teacher blushing but answers her question the best she can. “Some people said she went off and found a better job, and I’m sure that might be case, but I think she left for another reason. You know Peter Quint, right?”

“Ugh, how can I not. I’ve had some weird encounters with him.” Dani shudders and Jamie makes a mental note to give him a verbal lashing later.

“Yeah, he’s an entitled little prick that managed to woo poor Rebecca Jessel. Long story short, I think that he broke her heart, and she couldn’t deal with it, so she up and left.” Jamie explains.

Dani’s eyes seem to hide some sort of sorrow and she sighs. “Well, maybe that type of love was the wrong love, you know? If it broke her that bad then maybe she needed to get the hell out of dodge, you know? Sometimes, people confuse love for possession when its not.” She takes a deep breath, seemingly stopping herself from saying anything else. “I hope she is alright though.”

Jamie found Dani interesting before, but now she wanted to know more about her and she had a way of doing that, it wasn’t like she hadn’t come up here without a plan. “Hey, are you doing anything tonight?” She asks her and Dani blinks. “I mean, it sounds like you haven’t been out in a while and it’s Halloween. I need a partner in crime for the night.”

Dani didn’t have plans, she had actually planned on watching some scary movies, handing out candy and going to bed. Going out with Jamie though, well that sounded like an adventure, even if it was at a bar. “I’d like that, and I really do need a night out. So, yeah.” She laughs, a nervous habit. “It’s a date.”

Jamie raises a brow, a smirk playing on her face. “A date, huh?” She laughs loudly as Dani beings to trip over her words. “No, it’s all good, Poppins. Don’t get nervous. I like the sound of that, it’s a date.” She winks at her and is about to leave when Flora stops her with a cupcake.

“Oh, Miss. Greene, don’t leave without a treat. Miss. Clayton made these and they are perfectly-”

“Splendid?” Jamie asks as she takes the sweet from the little girl. She bends down to meet her at eye level and smiles. “If you believe it to be true, Wingrave, then it just might be.” She takes a bite, nods her head and then looks over at Dani. “Oh, she bakes too?” Dani laughs and Flora stands between them confusion on her little face. “But yes, I agree. They are perfectly splendid.” She stands up and then looks over at Dani. “Meet me out front after you’re done here?” Dani gives her a quick nod and Jamie claps her hands together. “See you later.”

When the last bell rings and the day ends, Jamie is thrilled to see Dani waiting for her. They chit chat a bit as they walk towards Jamie’s truck and get to the pub. It’s crowded, but not as bad as it should be. They order their drinks and take a seat, laughing as they get comfortable. “So, you’re from America, but what state to be exact?”

“Oh, Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia if you want a specific part.” She tells her. “I lived there my whole life, well up until now.”

Jamie nods. “Ah, from the colonies, disrespectful little shites, you know that?” Dani laughs and rolls her eyes. “So here is my question, why leave?”

Dani taps her glass and chuckles. “I just wanted something new, a clean slate really. Had a bit of a rough time back home and I needed to get away.”

“To a whole other country?” Jamie asks, amused as Dani downs her drink. “We all have our skeletons, don’t we?”

Dani hums. “What about you, were do you hail from.”

“Oh here, right here in this little town. I actually went to school where we work, pretty sure they hired me out of pity, or obligation. Doesn’t matter though, does it? Money is money and I’m not a fan of change.” Jamie leans in a bit closer. “So, tell me about America, is it as horrible as it seems from the news?”

The night goes on and Dani surprises Jamie (and herself) with her boldness. Years upon years of being suppressed, years upon years of being in denial seemed to ebb away with lingering gazes and touches. For once in Dani’s life this feels normal, she has butterflies in her stomach, and she hopes her heart races all because of this spunky woman in front of her. She isn’t drunk, or tipsy when Dani finally kisses her, but the beer helped give her the push she needed. It’s desperate and intense- passionate, something she never had before, not with him and they almost step on her cat when they finally make it into her apartment. The poor animal hisses and runs off in a hurry, Dani makes a note in the back of her head to apologize to her feline friend later because all she could focus on now was Jamie. Jamie and the way her hands felt on her bare skin, Jamie and how her hot open kisses on her neck sent shock waves down her spine to her core Again, it was never like this with him, because she was never meant to be with him and she worried for just a minute, breaking her kiss and looking at Jamie with worried eyes. “I-I’ve never been with a woman before.”

Jamie’s pupils are blown, hazy with need, but she stops and sits up. “It’s okay, Poppins, we can stop. Maybe watch a movie or-”

“Stop?” She almost yells. “Oh god no, I don’t want to stop, I just- I uh- god this is awkward. I don’t know if I could make you feel the way you make me feel.”

Jamie grins, kissing her lips softly. “It’s alright, love.” She trails her lips down her child to behind her ear. “We have a night, all weekend.” She kisses her collar bone. “Plenty of time.” Her lips now find the valley between her breasts, ego boosting a little when Dani’s breath hitches. “And I’m a good teacher.”

Dani wakes up the next morning, still in a bit of a daze from last night. However, it’s the smell of eggs, bacon and coffee that makes her arise her from her slumber. She’s a little wobbly as she picks up the first thing she can find, Jamie’s flannel and a pair of woolen socks, buttoning up the shirt a bit as she walks into the kitchen. Jamie is there, cooking and bonding with her cat and it’s quick, she knows it but it feels domestic. Dani would be thrilled if this could be her future.

“I hope you don’t mind, sleepy head, but I made breakfast and coffee for your American ass, which you are lucky that you have a nice one.” She flirts. “And took the liberty of feeding Drogon over here.” Jamie rolls her eyes. “I can’t believe you named that poor cat after a dragon from a tv show that ruined itself.”

Dani takes a seat at the table and laughs. “Hey, Drogon did nothing wrong and you know it! I actually have some theories-”

“Of course, you do,” Jamie teases, kissing the top of Dani’s head as she puts her breakfast down. “And I’d love to hear them, so go off babe.”

Word spreads around fast at among the staff that Jamie and Dani are a couple. Jamie swears that she sees Owen handing Hannah some money and Dani notices that Peter seemed to keep his distance, she wonders though that maybe her girlfriend, god did she love calling Jamie that- yes girlfriend had something to do with that.

Though Jamie learns quickly that Dani can handle herself exactly right one night, about two into their relationship. When she lets herself into Dani’s place the first thing she heard was yelling between Dani and a man, her first thought is Peter and as she grabs an umbrella, she realizes that the male is American based off his accent. She grabs the umbrella anyway and makes her way into the kitchen. There is a man, tall with messy dark hair and glasses yelling- no screaming at Dani and Dani isn’t reacting.

“Do you have any idea how embarrassing this is for me, do you? We had our whole future planned out and suddenly you tell me you’re a fucking lesbian and leave. Do you know how fucked up that is, how heartbroken our families? At first, I thought, hey, maybe this is a phase, right? Women experiment, but then you’re posting pictures all over god damn Instagram of you and this woman and now I’m humiliated. I am the ass end of every joke now because of you are your selfish-”

“Right there!” Dani screams, pointing an excusing finger. “Right. Fucking. There. Who talks to someone that they care about like that? You’re here out of no where going off on me that I’m the selfish one? Well sit the fuck down, Eddie because you are! I am finally able to be myself, I found someone that care about my needs and cares as fiercely as I do for her and you know what? I do love her, more than I loved anything or anyone. You’re hurt and that sucks, but it is not my fault. So, I don’t know, maybe get some help or something, but right now you need to get the fuck out of my apartment and leave me alone. Go home, Eddie- now!”

The man, Eddie is shocked and honestly, so is Jamie. She clears her throat, announcing her presence and Dani sniffles as Eddie shakes his head. “Look, mate, she doesn’t want you here so leave- now.”

He puffs out his chest a bit, looks between the two women and back to Dani. “This is her?” He scoffs. “Well then I hope you’re happy.” He spits. “I’m sure everyone else will be back home. Have a nice life, Dani.” His voice is laced with pure venom as he stomps off, slamming the door behind him. Dani rushes towards the door, still sniffling, now hyperventilating and locks it quickly as she sobs against the door.  
Jamie approaches her slowly, turning her around and pulling her close- trying to ignore the angry red handprint on her arm- she’ll kill him, she wants to go after him now and murder him. But Dani is sobbing into the crook of her neck and hell, Jamie wants to cry with her. They stay like that for a long time, dinner long forgotten before Dani pulls away, her eyes red and swollen. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t think he’d ever show up. I never wanted you to ever have to meet him.”

“It’s okay, Poppins, you don’t need to talk about him.” Jamie soothes her, her hands rubbing her back.

Dani hiccups and shakes her head. “No, I need to- I want to.” She shudders as she takes a deep breath. “Eddie and I, we were childhood friends that grew into sweethearts. I honestly thought that the more I’d be around him, the more normal I would become, so I went along with our relationship. He controlled everything about our relationship- even to the dress I was going to wear when we got married. Something snapped in me, a month before the wedding. I have no idea what, but it all clicked after years and years of suppressing my true feelings that who I was is normal, is okay. Hell, it’s even celebrated.” She adds with a laugh. “I of course told Eddie and he went ballistic, crashed the car we were driving in. I just wanted him to find someone that was better for him, but he kept insisting that he could ‘fix’ me. So, I have no idea what drove me to this town directly, but I took a red eye out as soon as I was released from the hospital and haven’t looked back since. And I don’t regret it, leaving, not at all, because if I never did all that, I wouldn’t know what happiness really feels like.”  
Much later into the night, the mere hours of the morning, Jamie whispers to her that she loves her back and Dani smiles softly, her eyes fluttering softly as she scoots in closer to her.

In two weeks’ time, Dani moves in with Jamie. One reason is for safety and the other reason is because it felt right. Jamie’s house was small, inherited from her father, but had a large garden in the back. Jamie sat her down one night and explained to her that she wanted to fill this house with happy memories now, rather than what it had in the past. She goes in depth about her childhood, her mother leaving and her dad losing custody of herself and her brothers, later dying from working in the coal mines. They do just that though, fill it with laughs and happy memories. They invite Hannah and Owen over to dinner a lot, Dani proposes to Jamie right there in the kitchen and they are married in their garden in the yard. It’s in that living room where their adopted son takes his first steps and when Dani tells Jamie that the IVF took and they were going to be parents again. It’s in the bathroom where Dani delivers their daughter, healthy and beautiful in their tub and it’s on that swing outback where they would grow old other.  
And who knew, it would start at a school with a simple hello.


End file.
